The present invention relates generally to the automatic manufacture and/or marking-out of an object. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for automatic manufacture of an object based on automatic transmission of a three-dimensional rendering of the object, such as a rendering from a CAD to an assembly line for manufacture.
Computer-aided design (CAD) programs and systems may be used to design detailed three-dimensional models of physical objects, such as structural or mechanical parts of a structure or device. Computer-aided design generally includes the display of a three-dimensional scale model of a structure or device, and this display may be visually produced on a computer display or printed as a schematic diagram. Generally, a computer-aided design model includes design specifications related to the structure or device, which include for example, among others, welding characteristics, names of parts and components, dimensional references for squaring, and so forth.
In order to complete the manufacturing process of a structure or device based on a computer-aided design model, a human operator typically must program manually the manufacturing machines associated with an assembly line based on the computer-aided design display. Production is then enabled once the appropriate information has been communicated to the assembly line. Human intervention is generally necessary to review the computer-aided design information and to provide the necessary information to the automated assembly line apparatus so that the structure or device may be manufactured.
Because the computer-aided design specifications indicated in a computer-aided design display must be passed manually by a human operator from the computer-aided design display to the automated assembly line equipment for the manufacture of a device or structure, a problem arises when the specialized human operator, capable of inputting data into the manufacturing machine, is unavailable. From what has been described above, it is evident that there is a direct need to improve the way in which the design parameters for all the components of an object, for example positions, welding codes, references for squaring and so forth, are provided to a manufacturing machine, while maintaining compatibility with computer aided-design programs. To increase efficiency, design parameters related to intersections and points of contact or connection between components that come into contact with other components are included as design parameters. Further, it is desirable to eliminate the possibility of operator error when providing instructions to automated assembly line equipment. This robust solution improves efficiency and accuracy and lowers cost, since manual marking-out operations can be performed automatically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,479 discloses an expert system that is capable of handling preset pieces in order to obtain objects made deriving from a number of possible combinations of preset pieces.